The City of Boulder is seeking a highly skilled and collaborative Controller to lead, manage, and coordinate all accounting, treasury, and debt functions and processes for the city. This important role operates under broad policy and/or general direction, ensuring the city’s financial operations are efficient, effective, and compliant with all applicable regulations. While some accounting functions are decentralized within other city departments, the Controller plays a crucial role in coordinating these efforts and ensuring citywide financial integrity. Strong interpersonal skills, tact, and the ability to build cooperative working relationships across the organization are essential to success.
A significant aspect of the role is managing the city’s financial reporting function, including the preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), reviewing financial transactions, completing monthly closes, and continuously updating knowledge regarding Governmental Accounting Standards and requirements for the ACFR. This position oversees internal finance staff and coordinates with finance leads in departments regarding internal controls, accounts payable, purchasing programs, and all accounting issues as needed. In consultation with the Assistant Controller, this position develops and implements systems to test compliance with city financial policies and procedures for related activities.
The Controller leads, manages, and coordinates the responsibilities of the city’s accounting, treasury, and debt services. This includes direct supervision of two Senior Accountants, an Accountant, and an Assistant Controller, who in turn supervise an Accounting Coordinator and an Accounting Specialist. The Controller also coordinates with division managers in finance and other departments to resolve citywide accounting issues and coordinate the decentralized aspects of accounting processes and systems. This includes ensuring appropriate training opportunities are available to support effective and efficient system use.
As one of the city’s finance representatives, the Controller is responsible for the operational management of financial systems used to account for all financial transactions. This includes developing and administering systems, policies, and procedures—and modifying them as necessary—to efficiently and effectively meet objectives established by State and Federal requirements, the city charter, and city ordinances and resolutions. Furthermore, the Controller is responsible for enforcing financial policies and resolving problems within the department, with other departments, vendors, or the public, and represents the Chief Financial Officer in all areas regarding city accounting and treasury management.
The Priorities
The Successful Candidate
The Controller is a balanced, hands-on leader who thrives in a collaborative, team-centered environment. The successful candidate provides efficient and effective leadership across the organization and embraces a continuous improvement philosophy. With a forward-looking approach to accounting and financial management, the Controller is committed to operational excellence and providing services through a customer-centric approach.
The Controller brings prior experience in both the private and public sectors and truly enjoys working for municipal organizations. They are skilled in navigating a hybrid financial model incorporating centralized and decentralized functions. Advanced knowledge of accounting standards such as GASB and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is essential to success. A confident leader, the Controller is an excellent communicator who enjoys building and maintaining relationships across the organization. They are known as effective problem solvers who enjoy managing complex projects through a collaborative and solution-oriented approach.
With strong people skills and a supportive, approachable demeanor, the Controller fosters a culture of growth and continuous learning by mentoring staff, encouraging cross-training, and empowering team members through thoughtful delegation. The successful candidate is a working manager who enjoys being a resource for their team, welcoming the exchange of ideas, and providing constructive feedback to bring out the best in others. The Controller builds trust through consistency, humor, and close connection, creating a high-performing, engaged team aligned with organizational goals.
Qualifications
Five or more years of governmental accounting or auditing experience is required, with at least five years of supervisory experience essential, including strong leadership and mentoring skills. A diverse accounting background, including a thorough understanding of the chart of accounts, grants, and federal grant management, is required, as is knowledge of and experience conducting audits or establishing auditing procedures and systems. Experience in compiling a full ACFR is essential, as is experience with treasury and debt management functions. A strong understanding of technology, including experience with Workday, is beneficial.
A bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field is required. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation is required, and a Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO) designation is beneficial.
Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they can perform every job description task. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may come from a less traditional background. The city will consider any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.
Inside the City of Boulder
The City of Boulder believes in a future with equitable access to health, prosperity, and fulfillment, where the community adapts and thrives in response to emerging and sometimes urgent social, economic, and environmental challenges.
The Sustainability, Equity, and Resilience Framework guides budget and planning processes by providing consistent goals necessary to achieve Boulder’s vision of a great community and the actions required to achieve them. Building on a legacy of innovation, Boulder cultivates a creative spirit to adapt and thrive in the changing climate.
The City of Boulder continuously works to provide service excellence for an inspired future through our core values:
Workplace Culture
The City of Boulder believes that a diverse workforce, individual lived experiences, and an inclusive environment add quality and perspective to the services provided to the public. Therefore, the organization intentionally strives to develop and maintain a workforce that values and embraces differences among employees.
An important component of the city’s culture and environment is Boulder’s Leadership Philosophy: We believe each of us is a leader. We are motivated by the opportunities to make a positive difference in our community. Our most significant results are achieved when we:
Structure of Local Government
Boulder operates under a council-manager form of government. The elected City Council sets policies, and the Council-appointed City Manager implements them. The Council also appoints the City Attorney and Municipal Court Judge.
The City Council consists of nine members: an elected mayor and eight members elected at large (one of whom serves as the mayor pro tem). Council members can serve up to three terms.
With a 2025 budget of $589.5 million, the City of Boulder is served by 1,539 regular employees. Robust city services are provided through numerous departments and divisions.
The Finance Department
The Finance Department is an innovative leader and partner in fiscal stewardship. The department manages, protects, and reports on the City of Boulder’s financial resources to enhance the city’s financial condition and, in partnership, develops financial strategies to meet community priorities, ensure financial transparency, and build trust in government. With a 2025 budget of $16.7 million and just over 50 full-time employees, the Finance Department is comprised of eight divisions. The expert, well-trained, and committed team is engaged with customers, guided by sound fiscal systems and policies, and dedicated to continuous improvement.
Administration: The Administration Division provides strategic financial direction for the organization, directs financial programs and activities, and communicates and collaborates with city departments related to city financial matters.
Accounting, Treasury, Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivable: The Accounting, Treasury, Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivable Division is responsible for daily fiscal operations, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, fixed asset reporting, cash receipting, collections, general ledger maintenance, project tracking, purchasing card administration, and all financial reporting needs.
Budget and Grants: The Budget and Grants Division coordinates citywide operating budget development activities, collaborates with the Planning & Development Services Department and other departments to create the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), provides budgetary support and guidance to city departments, performs budgetary forecasting and analysis, engages in long-range financial planning, offers centralized grants coordination and management, and conducts policy analysis at the request of the City Manager.
Payroll: The Payroll Division provides accurate bi-weekly payroll, ensures employment tax compliance, and makes pensions, benefit plans, and other required remittances.
Purchasing: The Purchasing Division is responsible for managing the city’s procurement process and executing contracts for constructing capital improvements, purchasing tangible personal property, obtaining insurance policies, and purchasing and consulting services.
Regulatory Licensing: The Regulatory Licensing Division works with businesses to process new or renewing regulatory licenses such as liquor, medical and recreational marijuana, hemp, special event, and other miscellaneous licenses.
Risk Management: The Risk Management Division oversees the city’s general liability and workers’ compensation programs, manages the insurance portfolio and claims processing, develops a robust and comprehensive safety program, ensures compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VI, and prioritizes and conducts internal audits or program reviews.
Taxpayer Services and Compliance: The Taxpayer Services and Compliance Division provides business licensing (sales tax licensing), tax collection, reporting, education, and compliance functions related to sales and use, accommodation, admission, and other city transactional taxes for over 13,000 licensed businesses.
The Boulder, Colorado Community
Boulder, Colorado, is just 30 minutes northwest of Denver, where the plains meet the Rocky Mountains. Tucked into a picturesque valley below the iconic Flatirons, Boulder has a population of approximately 105,000. The city is a great place to live, work, grow, and play.
Boulder is nationally recognized for its quality of life, thriving tech, research-based economy, and booming real estate market. It is also one of the most educated metropolitan areas in the country. The local public schools are excellent, with Boulder Valley School District consistently ranking among the best in the state. In addition, Boulder is a hub of entrepreneurship, particularly for businesses that value a lifestyle rooted in a love of the outdoors, healthy living, and access to resources.
The University of Colorado at Boulder is currently one of the premier public research institutions in the United States and sits in the heart of Boulder. The University has a strong reputation and is especially known for its engineering and science programs, particularly Earth and Space sciences. There are 17 federally funded science laboratories in Boulder, including the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Enjoyment of the outdoors has always been at the forefront of life in Boulder. The community’s Open Space and Mountain Parks form a green belt around the city with over 45,000 acres of land that are preserved and protected. Boulder has over 300 miles of public hiking and biking trails, and its mountain parks and open spaces receive well over five million visitors a year. In addition, residents enjoy 1,800 acres of urban parkland and programming through numerous recreation centers and outdoor pools.
Boulder fosters an environment for artists and audiences to be innovative, experimental, creative, and expressive. The city has a large concentration of artists with more than 30 art galleries, four museums, a dozen movie and stage theaters, and a huge variety of cultural performances each year, including the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Colorado Music Festival, and Chautauqua Summer Series.
According to Bon Appétit magazine, Boulder is America’s Foodiest City with local restaurants and chefs insistent on quality, innovation, and flavor. In addition, Boulder is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s healthiest places to live and is a mecca for natural and organic products. Farms, dairies, ranches, markets, and restaurants embrace the idea of local, seasonal, and artisanal food production and cooking. The Boulder Farmers Market is the largest outdoor market in the state, providing a venue for local agricultural producers to sell their products directly to the public. For those who love beer, wine, and spirits, there are 21 breweries, four distilleries, two wineries, and two cideries in Boulder.
While each of the characteristics, passions, and industries that Boulder is known for today emerged organically over time, it is how they work together that makes Boulder…Boulder.
Compensation
The salary range for the Controller is $124,696 – $187,054, with an anticipated hiring range of $124,696 – $162,111, and will depend on the qualifications of the successful candidate. The City of Boulder is a progressive organization that values employee engagement and well-being. The city recognizes the importance of providing an encompassing health and life benefits program to employees, including Hybrid Work, Flex Schedules, Telehealth and Wellness Incentives, Infants and Dogs at Work Program, Local bus Eco-Pass, and an Employee Discount Program on goods and services throughout the Boulder Community. Additional information can be viewed here.
To Be Considered
Respect is one of The City of Boulder’s five City Values, and the city is committed to racial equity, diversity, and inclusion. The city celebrates and supports differences across all spectrums, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, gender, age, ability, and sexual orientation. Through the city’s focus on racial equity, employee benefits, and the many program resources offered to employees, Boulder continually strives to weave respect for one another into the fabric of its organization.
Add your voice and talent to the City of Boulder and help us grow in service excellence for an inspired future. Applications will be accepted electronically by Raftelis. Applicants complete a brief online form and are prompted to provide a cover letter and resume. Open until filled.
Questions
Please direct questions to Robert Colichio at rcolichio@raftelis.com.
